History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 35

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 35

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family took up their journey, accompanied by two other families. As the wagons moved away from the little village, they were surrounded by a crowd who predicted all kinds of evil happenings to the three families in their prog- ress westward. Their route was along the north side of Long Island sound to New York City; thence through New Jersey and Pennsylvania and over the Alleghanies to Redstone, where they took boats to Ft. Miami (Columbia), where they arrived on December 12, 1789. At the time of their arrival at the mouth of the Little Miami there were some thirty or forty families living in the place. These people were restrained very little by law, and were very short of provisions, excepting such as could be found by hunting in the woods, in which hovered the hostile savage. The new comers were assigned to an apartment about sixteen feet square in the fort, where they remained for a time. Ezra Ferris had the benefit of such schools as could be found at Co- lumbia during the Indian wars and after Wayne's victory he pursued his studies elsewhere, obtaining a fair education. When quite a young man, he was licensed to preach and served as pastor of the Duck Creek Baptist church of Hamilton county, Ohio. He studied medicine and for some years taught school at Lebanon, Ohio, from which place he removed to Lawrenceburg. In Dearborn county he preached for the .Baptists wherever a pastor was needed, filling pulpits that were without a pastor. He was elected a member of the convention that formed the first Constitution of the state of Indiana and in that body was made a member and chairman of the committee on elective franchise and elections. He was also a member of the state Legislature in 1816, 1818, 1820 and 1826. After he advanced in age he retired from the practice of medicine and kept a drug store, preaching for the Baptist congre- gations at Lawrenceburg, Salem and other points. In politics the Doctor was a Whig and, in his political principles, was very firm in his belief. In 1851 he published a series of articles on the early history of the Miami country. A. H. Dunlevy, in his history of the Miami Baptist Association, wrote that "Elder Ferris knew more of the early history of the Miami country than any man living at the time of his death." Doctor Ferris was twice married, and died at Lawrenceburg on April 19, 1857.

Dr. Jeremiah H. Brower was born in New York City in 1798. He was descended from one of those old Dutch families that located about Manhattan island. His father was a physician before him and educated his son for the profession. In the year 1819 the family emigrated west, the father,.Abraham Brewer, locating in Lawrenceburg and the son at Elizabeth- town, Ohio, where they respectively engaged in the practice of medicine.

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Dr. Jeremiah Brower later located at Lawrenceburg. He was honored with the presidency of the Indiana State Medical Society, which trust he discharged with credit. During the Civil War he assisted in the care of soldiers in the hospitals, where his health was undermined. He died on August 1, 1866, aged sixty-eight years.

Dr. David Fisher was a native of Vermont and was born about 1780. Little is known of his early life. He practiced as a physician in his native state until about 1822, when he immigrated to Indiana, locating at Wilmington. A few years afterwards he settled at Aurora. He erected a hotel in the latter place, which he kept in connection with practicing his profession. About the year 1826 he removed to Rising Sun, where he died in 1851.

Dr. Henry J. Bowers was a native of Massachusetts and was born in 1801. At the age of twenty, he emigrated west, locating at Lawrenceburg, where he commenced the study of medicine. In 1829 he located at Moore's Hill, where he continued to practice his profession until his death in 1866. Doctor Bowers was elected to the state Legislature from Ripley county, where he resided, although his office was in Moore's Hill. He was also hon- ored by being elected a member of the constitutional convention in 1850.

Dr. Nelson Horatio Torbet was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1800. He studied the profession of medicine in Philadelphia and came to Dearborn county directly from that city as soon as his studies were completed. Hc located at Wilmington and in 1834 was elected to the state Legislature. He was also elected county treasurer in 1844. While on a visit to Kansas, in 1873, he contracted a disease which ended his life at the age of seventy-three. At one period of his active life he was prosperous, having a large practice, extending over many miles of the hills about the village of Wilmington.

Dr. Myron H. Harding was born on August 7, 1810, in the town of Williamson, Ontario county, New York. He was the second son of David Harding and wife, who, in 1820, immigrated to Ripley county, Indiana. My- ron H. Harding attended such schools as could be found in Ripley county in those times and worked at clearing. chopping and piling the brush, and at other work incident to pioneer life until the age of eighteen, when he became a school teacher. At the age of twenty he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Doctor Cornett. of Versailles. After a study of one year, he successfully stood the medical examination necessary. He then followed his profession as a licensed practitioner until the year 1837. when he graduated from the Ohio Medical College. For a number of years he was located at Manchester, and an advertisement in the papers of 1831 announces that his

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office is at the house (hotel) of Oliver Heustis, where he will be found reg- ularly, etc. Later on, he located at Lawrenceburg, where he resided the rest of his long and useful life. He was easily one of the leading physicians and citizens of the county, taking a live interest in all public questions. He served as president of the Indiana State Medical Society and of the Dearborn County Medical Society. He took an active interest in the advance of medical science, and was a member of the American Medical Association and an hon- orary member of the California State Medical Society.

Doctor Harding, unlike most of men, was first closely devoted to his profession; secondly, he was devoted to his family, and then he always had time to give to the public. Few men took a more active interest in public affairs, and very few, a more intelligent interest. He was never known to shirk a duty and would respond to a call to duty at any hour up to the end of his practice, which was continued until the ripe age of seventy-five years. He passed away on the 18th day of September, 1885, and lies buried in the family lot in beautiful Greendale cemetery.

Richard C. Bond was born in Wood county, West Virginia, March 22, 1822, and was the son of Lewis and Lydia (John) Bond. He attended school at the New Geneva Seminary, Pennsylvania. He read medicine with Dr. James Stevenson, of Greensboro, Pennsylvania, and completed the course with Doctor Nicklin, of Virginia. His father was a Baptist minister and, at the age of thirty-two, the Doctor was impressed with the conviction that he . had a call to preach, and was ordained. He was for several years pastor of the Baptist churches in Aurora, Rising Sun and Wilmington. Later he real- ized that one profession was sufficient and, giving up the ministry, he located in Aurora in 1848, where he remained a successful practitioner until his death. By his skill in the treatment of cholera during the epidemic of 1849 he gained a wide reputation and saved many lives. In 1857 he attended lec- tures at the Miami Medical College from which college he received a diploma. In 1861 he was appointed surgeon of the Fifteenth Indiana Regiment, with which he served in the campaigns in West Virginia. Later, he was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, taking part in the battle of Shiloh. In June, 1863, his health failed and he was compelled to resign and return home.

One of the brightest stars in the medical firmament was Dr. Samuel H. Collins, who was born in Massachusetts in 1851. He was the son of Rev. Samuel A. Collins,. who, for several years, was pastor of the First Baptist church of Cincinnati. Doctor Collins's mother was Mary F. Covington. The Doctor graduated at Dennison College, Granville, Ohio, in 1871, and at the (24)

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Miami Medical College in 1873. He commenced the practice of medicine at Westwood, a suburb of Cincinnati, where he continued for two years. In 1878 he volunteered to go to Memphis to assist in the terrible outbreak of yellow fever. He continued at Memphis during the epidemics of yellow fever in both 1878 and 1879, and was appointed to the national board of health, on duty at Ship island. in the gulf of Mexico and at New Orleans. In 1881 he came to Lawrenceburg and commenced the practice of medicine. In 1883 he formed a partnership with Dr. M. H. Harding, which continued until Doctor Harding's death, which occurred in September, 1885. Doctor Collins filled many of the positions in the Dearborn County Medical Society and was a valued member of the Indiana State Medical Society, as well as the American Public Health Association. He was quick and accurate in diagnosis, a good surgeon and active in all the civic affairs that tended to better sanitary conditions. He served for several terms as a member of the common council of the city of Lawrenceburg, and as city health officer. The Doctor, shortly before his death, removed to Elizabethtown, Ohio, where he died in April, 1915.

The medical profession of Dearborn county has been represented during all the years since early pioneer days by men who have kept abreast of the times. New discoveries in medicine are adopted as promptly in Dearborn county as anywhere in the country. The physicians of today are men who have gone to much pains to perfect themselves in their life work. A look backward easily discovers rapid improvement in the manner of treating dis- eases, and in preventing them. Especially in the latter phase does the work of the physician appear to advantage. Better sanitary laws have been en- acted : better quarantine laws have been enforced, and contagious and infec- tious diseases have been reduced in their spread until many of them cease to be a menace.

SOME EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Judging from the files of the early papers, the list of physicians has in- creased in numbers as the years have passed, although the population has decreased. In 1826 the Palladium had the cards of Dr. T. B. Pinckard, who announced he would practice in Dearborn and Boone counties and in Hamilton county, Ohio, and that his office was on High street below the market house. Dr. Henry J. Bowers had a card announcing his office opposite the Palladium printing office, and that he offered his professional services to "the citizens of Lawrenceburg and vicinity," to practice "physic, surgery and midwifery."

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In 1839 Dr. J. H. Close presented his card in the Political Beacon, saying that he had permanently located in Lawrenceburg. with an office in his drug store on Main street and residence in the house of J. W. Hunter. opposite Dr. J. H. Brower. In 1851 the Register announced that J. P. Ulrey and G. W. Harryman were prepared to practice dentistry and could be found on Thurs- days and Fridays of each week at their office, next door above the mayor's office. Drs. Jeremiah H. Brower and R. D. Ewing had formed a partnership to practice medicine, with an office at the corner of Elm and High streets in the basement of Doctor Brower's residence. Drs. G. W. Shaw and S. W. Stenger announced that they were homeopathists and would serve the public as physicians, with offices on Short street, opposite the Branch bank.

PRESENT PHYSICIANS.

The physicians of today in Dearborn county are as follows: E. J. Em- mert, George F. Smith. A. T. Fagaly. F. M. Mueller. O. S. Jaquith and H. H. Dwyer, all of Lawrenceburg : H. H. Sutton, Mark Bond. E. J. Libbert. C. C. Marshall, J. L. McElroy. J. M. Jackson, James F. Treon. E. R. Wallace and Miss Ella S. Holmes, all of Aurora; J. C. Elliott, of Guilford; R. T. Neffner, of Weisburg; W. F. Duncan, of Manchester: D. E. Johnston. of Moores Hill; Holland P. Long, Fleetwood H. Sale and James H. Sale, of Dillsboro, and C. C. Housmeyer, of Farmers' Retreat.

The Dearborn County Medical Association had its counterpart in the earlier days. An association was organized in 1820 and it seems to have been kept up continuously in some form ever since. In 1831. a notice, signed by Dr. Jabez Percival, president, is in the columns of the Western Statesman of that time, announcing a meeting of the medical society, and the various papers, at different times, prepared by members of the profession of the county are evidence that the members have ever been alert and up-to-date in making use of every discovery in the medical world that has tended to alle- viate the sufferings of mankind or that would prevent distress and disease.

Some of the members of the profession in the county have. in the years past, attained to a considerable degree of prominence outside of the county, and all of them have been distinguished by their readiness to respond to any call where they could relieve suffering.

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CHAPTER XXIX.

NEWSPAPERS IN DEARBORN COUNTY.

The first newspaper published in Dearborn county was called the Dear- born Gazette. It was published in Lawrenceburg in 1817 by a man who wrote his signature as B. Brown and hailed from "down East" somewhere. The office was in a little brick building on the corner of the alley back of the resi- dence of Edward Hayes, Sr .; and which was then owned by James Hamilton, an ex-sheriff of the county. The motto of the Gasette was "Equal and Exact Justice." The early pioneer tradition is that the printer of the establishment was one Steele Simpson.

The Indiana Oracle was a paper issued in 1819, published every Wednesday by Dunn & Russell. Later, in 1823, it changed proprietors and was published by Dunn & McPike under the title of the Indiana Oracle and Dearborn Gasette. Earlier writers think that the Dearborn Gazette was a separate paper and that the two consolidated.

The successor to the Oracle and Gazette was the Indiana Palladium, the first number of which was issued by Milton Gregg and D. V. Culley. The Palladium flew at the mast head the motto, "Equality of rights is nature's plan, and, following nature, is the march of man." Quoting from its saluta- tory, it says, "We profess ourselves Republicans, warmly attached to the best interests of our country, and pledge ourselves to publish a paper founded on purely Republican principles, uncontrolled by faction, and unbiased by party spirit. Divesting ourselves of everything like sectional partialities and local prejudices, our paper shall be devoted exclusively to the benefit of our- selves and the public in general."

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.

C. F. Clarkson, at one time of Brookville, Indiana, and, later, of Des Moines, Iowa, in telling some reminiscences, speaking of the Palladium, said, "The first permanent newspaper, from which there has been continuously a live paper issued, was started January 10, 1825, and called the Indiana Pal- ladium. It was published by Milton Gregg and David V. Culley, both able writers and practical printers. The office was originally located in the second

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story of what was then called the 'Bank building.' This building was just west and adjoining the old residence of 'Father' Isaac Dunn. In the summer of 1829 the proprietors built a one-story office further east on the continuation of High street, opposite the residence of that sturdy old citizen, William Tate. They continued to publish the Palladium, making it a spirited paper, until September 12, 1829, when, owing to some unfortunate difficulties, Mr. Gregg sold out to Mr. Culley, who continued to publish it until he was ap- pointed to a position in the land office at Indianapolis by President Jackson. Mr. Culley was a decided Democrat, while Milton Gregg was a National Re- publican, which was previous to the day when, at the suggestion of James Watson Webb, the party took the name of 'Whig.'"

Continuing, Mr. Clarkson says, "The writer went into the Palladium office September 21, 1828, as an apprentice, but retired from it with Mr. Gregg. So long as Gregg & Culley published the Palladium, it was independ- ent in politics, but when Culley assumed control it espoused the cause of Jack- son and Democracy. Mr. Gregg at once commenced preparations to start a National Republican paper, which he did in the second story over the old Ferris drug store, corner of High and Short streets, then occupied by Prichard & Noble, for drugs. The paper was commenced on March 10, 1830, and was called the Western Statesman. Previous to that time there had been various vicissitudes and changes among the papers at Brookville, Indiana, the last paper being published by August Jocelyn. Gregg purchased of Jocelyn the Brookville printing materials They were old and badly broken in 'sorts.' Mr. Gregg sent a wild Hoosier teamster for the printing establishment, who laid a quilt on the floor and emptied all the cases on it-all sizes and varieties of types in one inglorious 'pi.' John W. Holland, who lived and flourished at Indianapolis long afterwards, will, if living yet, vividly recollect aiding the writer in distributing the 'pi.'" It took three weeks.

Clarkson finished his apprenticeship in the office of the Statesman. He describes in a rather interesting manner some of the work of the office as it was done in those days. "The people were poor, just opening their farms, and mail routes and postoffices were scarce. A part of our apprentice- ship was to ride horseback, Friday and Saturday every week, to distribute the papers to subscribers. The route was down by Aurora and Rising Sun; then north to Watts Mill; then up by old Charles Dashiell's, around by Manchester, etc., and then home, leaving packages of papers in twenty or thirty places. Mr. Gregg continued to publish his paper but a few weeks by himself. On April 28, 1830, he sold a half interest to Thomas Dowling. an able writer

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and shrewd politician from Washington City, who had learned his trade and politics in the old National Intelligencer office. Dowling became a prominent man in Indiana politics, standing high socially and financially. He died in the seventies in Terre Haute. He 'Tylerized' in 1842 and, as a consequence, got a fat Indian contract, which made him financially comfortable for life. Dowling remained with Gregg only until November, 1830, when he sold out and bought a paper at Greensburg."

Continuing his reminiscences, Mr. Clarkson says, "Mr. Gregg continued to publish the Statesman until the spring of 1831. John Spencer, who was then sheriff of Dearborn county, having been appointed receiver of public money at the land office in Ft. Wayne, resigned the office of sheriff. At that time Noah Noble was governor of Indiana, and he appointed Milton Gregg, sheriff. At that day public officers performed the duties of the office in person, instead of, as now, having deputies to transact their business, while they smoke cigars, talk politics, and prepare for re-election, or to succeed to a better office. Mr. Gregg being engrossed with the sheriff's office, in which there was more money than publishing a paper, abandoned the office entirely, though it was yet in his name. He gave the editorial and mechanical depart- ments over to the writer hereof, then only twenty years of age. During the year, I purchased it of Mr. Gregg, with the understanding that possession was to be given at the end of the newspaper year, which was March 2, 1832. I published the paper by myself until March 2, 1833, when I sold one-half to D. S. Major. In July of the same year the other half was sold to J. R. Smith, who was a worthless vagabond and soon left for parts unknown. The paper then had a precarious existence for some time under Major's adminis- tration, who, as a lawyer, had enough to do without a newspaper. Papers were flamboyant in those days and delighted in announcing, with some display of large type, just what they were going to do politically and what they were going to oppose. Clarkson announced in his prospectus that, 'The great prin- ciples which this press shall maintain will be those of the Union, of the Anieri- can system, and of internal improvements. It will support for the next Presi- dent. Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and for vice-president, John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania.' Under date of March 15. 1833, Mr. Major set forth that he was opposed to the right of secession. "That a state has a right to withdraw from the Union whenever she becomes dissatisfied with any of the measures of the general government, I cannot admit.' 'I hold that there is no such thing as state sovereignty. nor a sovereignty in the general government.' 'For let the doctrine of nullification and secession once prevail, and all the wisdom,

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talent, zeal and patriotism in our government cannot save the Union. Like the pestilential blast, it will sweep over our land and leave the dilapidated wails of the once fair fabric of our republican government the blasted monument of our folly.' Mr. Gregg served his term as sheriff, then engaged in the then popular business of flatboating and river trading, but in 1839 he again returned to his profession. He continued to be interested in a paper called the Political Beacon until 1844, when he again sold, this time to Messrs. Dunn & Watts. In 1840 Gregg, who was an ardent campaigner and partisan of the Whig party, issued a manifesto in his paper as early as January 25, saying, 'Our banner is thrown to the breeze, on whose broad folds are inscribed the names of Harrison and Tyler, and in their cause, and for their interests we shall expect to do battle in such a manner as to prove to the world that we are no lukewarm politicians.' Mr. Gregg removed from here to Madison and from there to New Albany."

Senator O. H. Smith, in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches," pays this tribute to Milton Gregg and David P. Holloway and to the press of Indi- ana at that time: "I feel under great obligations to the conductors of the Indiana press, for the high moral tone they have infused into their columns, and to none more than to the veteran editors whose names stand at the head of this article. I have known them both long and well. I have seen them, read them, heard them. I might speak of Mr. Gregg as a member of our Legislature, and as a member of our constitutional convention, where the high order of his talents placed him in the front ranks. I might speak of Mr. Holloway as a member of Congress, where he stood deservedly high; but I chose rather to place them in my reminiscences, in the more important positions of editors of newspapers, dispensing information, intelligence and morality among the masses. It is there that their lights have shown the most brilliantly, because the most valuable to society. They are both, like Mr. Greeley and Mr. Brooks, in the meridian of life, in the midst of their usefulness, devoted to the interests of our state. Long may they live to contribute to the good order of our citizens."

David V. Culley was a native of Pennsylvania and, in 1824, came to Dearborn county, where he married a Miss Brown. With Milton Gregg, he established the Palladium, but, in time, political differences caused them to dissolve their partnership. Mr. Culley served in the Legislature several terms and in 1836 was appointed by President Van Buren register of the land office at Indianapolis. where he continued to reside until his death, in 1869.

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THE REGISTER.

A paper, called the Indiana Whig, was started in 1834 by John McPike, who was a relative of the Dumont family, but it continued only for a short time. A paper, called the Dearborn County Register, was issued at Wilming- ton and published by J. B. Dent. This suspended in about a year and the outfit was bought up by John B. Hall, who removed the plant to Lawrenceburg when the county seat was moved back from Wilmington in 1844. Hall pub- lished the paper until 1850, when he sold out to George W. Lane, but Mr. Lane did not take kindly to the newspaper business, and sold out the next year to Oliver B. Torbett and Charles C. Scott, who, in turn, disposed of the plant in 1853 to Addison Bookwalter. Mr. Bookwalter was its editor and proprietor for eighteen years, his valedictory appearing in 1871. It was then taken over by Edward F. Sibley, who looked after it until 1877, when it was purchased by W. D. H. Hunter and W. H. O'Brien, who ran it suc- cessfully until 1894. Then they disposed of it to W. H. Rucker, who, in a year or two, took in a partner in the person of W. T. Gooden. The former, some ten years ago, turned over his interest to his partner, W. T. Gooden, who is now the proprietor. It will appear from this history that the Register of today has been issued continuously for seventy-one years in Lawrence- burg.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 35

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123